Otto Preminger’s The Man With the Golden Arm

Finally, what I consider an “old” movie. The Man With the Golden Arm is about a man, Frankie Machine, played by Frank Sinatra, who is fresh out of rehab/jail for heroin addiction. While inside, Frankie learns to play the drums and joins the prison band. Once out he tries to find work as a session drummer but gets caught up in the same old stuff as before.

Released in 1955, the movie deals with drug addiction and depicts drug use so you can imagine that it caused a stir. I didn’t even know heroin was an issue in the 1950’s. But then again all I know of the 50’s comes from watching reruns on TV after school. The Beav never once thought about using heroin.

This was a great film, it had such a great noir-ish vibe with every character you met, you knew they were kind of shady and only wanted Frankie to help them, they didn’t care that it might cause him to relapse. Just an all around good movie, I recommend you watch it if you come across it.